Scenic Eclipse Review

5.0 / 5.0

52 reviews

See all photos

Editor Rating

5.0

Excellent

Overall

Colleen McDaniel

Editor-In-Chief

Scenic Eclipse is the first foray into ocean cruising for Australian company Scenic, long known for luxury tours and river ships. And, wow, does this ship make a splash. Developed to offer adventure cruising in an upscale atmosphere, the ship looks and feels more like a luxury yacht than a cruise ship -- that's by design. The company took its cue from yachts, aiming to provide passengers a personal luxury experience. The result is a ship that feels like a boutique hotel, with large spaces for entertainment and intimate spaces to steal away for some private moments.

While expedition cruising has long meant roughing it onboard, Scenic Eclipse has turned that notion on its head. The ship is designed to allow passengers to comfortably challenge themselves during the day, with hiking, kayaking or stand-up paddle-boarding available, and then return to the lap of luxury at night. It also offers over-the-top features, like two helicopters and a submarine, which will further connect passengers to the regions the ship visits, including the Arctic and Antarctica.

The ship shines when it comes to dining, offering eight restaurants onboard with top-notch cuisine that is innovative yet approachable. You'll swoon over the options, unique on a ship of only 228 passengers (and 200 when it sails to the polar regions of the world).

Upon its launch, it received a degree of criticism (it wasn't quite ready), mainly leveled at the indoor/outdoor pool in the Yacht Club, the main buffet. This was addressed during lockdown, with the pool taken out and the buffet expanded into a beautiful, light space. The downside: No pool, just a spa pool and a hot tub. (This will be addressed on Scenic Eclipse II, a near-identical ship set to launch in mid-2023.)

Where Scenic Eclipse misses is connecting people to the outdoors while onboard the ship. The ship lacks sufficient outdoor space, Deck 10 is largely forgotten (another oversight the company says will be fixed on the next iteration) and sightlines inside are mostly restricted, even in the ship's Observation Lounge.

Still, Scenic Eclipse offers spacious, ultra-modern suites, astonishing service levels, outstanding food and a dedicated Discovery expedition team. It's the perfect ship for people who have long considered adventure travel but don't want to sacrifice comfort onboard.

Pros

Beautifully designed ship with big toys and small surprises.

Cons

Limited outdoor space for activities and wildlife viewing.

Bottom Line

A dramatic ship that ups the luxury expedition cruise experience.

About

Passengers: 228

Crew: 172

Passenger to Crew: 1.33:1

Launched: 2019

Shore Excursions: 674

Sails To

South America, Europe, Baltic Sea, Bahamas, Caribbean, Canada & New England

Sails From

Buenos Aires, Malta (Valletta), Lisbon, Barcelona, Rosyth, Reykjavik, Oslo, Tromso, Rome, Civitavecchia, Nice, Malaga, Bergen, Dublin, Copacabana Beach, Rio de Janeiro, Barbados, Manhattan, Copenhagen

Fellow Passengers

Passengers sailing on Scenic Eclipse tend to be well-traveled retirees who have a sense of adventure and are used to luxury travel, whether at land or at sea. Because the company is based in Australia, you can expect a large percentage of Aussies on any given sailing, as well as North Americans and Brits. English is the language onboard, as most passengers speak English as a first language.

Scenic Eclipse Dress Code

Daytime: During the day, passengers dress casually. If they're in port, they're likely wearing layers and clothing that is weather appropriate. Poolside, bathing suits are fully acceptable. Women wear stylish sundresses or cover-ups, while men will wear collared shirts and swim shorts. Exercise attire is the norm for classes and in the wellness areas. Scenic provides a parka for each passenger for its polar sailings -- yours to keep as a memento.

Evening: Scenic recommends elegant casual for most restaurants. For women, that means a dress, skirt or slacks with a blouse or sweater. For men, that means collared shirts and trousers. There are no formal nights onboard. That said, some passengers wear nice jeans to dinner, and no eyebrows are raised.

Not Permitted: Casual wear in restaurants is frowned on, so no shorts or beat-up blue jeans. You might feel out of place wearing those items in the evening.